Salt Lake County Library Services
Encyclopedia
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Salt Lake County Library Services is currently ranked 5th in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
among libraries serving a population of 500,000 or greater. This is the sixth time the County Library System has ranked among the top in the nation.http://www.haplr-index.com/HAPLR100.htm
History
Salt Lake County Library Services began operations early in 1939, when the first location was housed in two school rooms in the old MidvaleMidvale, Utah
Midvale is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 27,029 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Midvale is located at ....
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
School. Small libraries were subsequently established in several county schools. The library was immediately very popular with the residents, issuing library cards to 1,700 patrons between January to April of 1939. The first Salt Lake County Library Board was established a year earlier, in 1938, and members included Dr. C. N. Jensen, Dr. Calvin S. Smith, Alf G. Gunn and County Commissioner J. R. Rawlins. Ruth Vine Tyler, a former school teacher and Salt Lake City librarian, was chosen as the first library director.
The grand opening of the Midvale Library Headquarters was held on August 9, 1941. On September 1, 1971, Guy Schuurman, former Weber County Librarian, succeeded Tyler as the director of the system ushering in an era of growth and innovation. By 1972 the system was the largest library system in the state with 11 buildings, 132 employees and more than 125,000 card-carrying patrons.
The Utah Best in State Award for libraries went to Salt Lake County in 2005 citing the substantial contribution the library system has made in improving the quality of life in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The library's innovation and creativity in applying new technologies to enrich customers' library experience was acknowledged as well as the library's fiscal responsibility.
Salt Lake County Library Services, currently under the leadership of Director James D. Cooper, circulated almost 14.5 million items in 2008, and houses a collection of more than 2 million items. Circulation has increased 45% since 2000, the number of library card holders has increased 29.5% to over 600,000, and the number of library sponsored programs has increased 59%.
Branches
There are 18 full-service branches in the system located throughout Salt Lake County, and two smaller library outlets. The branches are as follows: Bingham Creek, Columbus CenterColumbus Center
One of South Salt Lake's most notable and unique buildings is the Columbus School Building which currently serves as a community center. Located at 2531 South 400 East, the Columbus School building is not only a community landmark, but a vital gathering place as well...
, Draper, East Millcreek, Herriman, Holladay, Hunter, Kearns, Magna, Park, Riverton, Sandy, Calvin S. Smith, South Jordan, Ruth Vine Tyler, West Jordan, West Valley and Whitmore. The outlets are the Alta Reading Room and the library at the county jail.